1. Field of Inventions
The present inventions relate generally to remote controls and ambulatory medical systems including remote controls.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many medical systems include a therapeutic device and a remote control with a plurality of buttons that allows a physician, technician or patient to provide an instruction to the therapeutic device by way of a telemetric signal. A remote control may, for example, be provided in combination with an ambulatory medical device such as an implantable infusion device or an implantable stimulation device. Implantable infusion devices frequently include a housing, a medication reservoir, a catheter with a discharge end, a pump or other fluid transfer device that moves the medication from the reservoir to the discharge end of the catheter, a telemetric communication device and a therapeutic device. Implantable stimulation devices may include a housing, electrodes, a source of stimulation energy, a telemetric communication device and a therapeutic device. In either case, the controller may be configured to provide basal delivery of medication or stimulation energy in accordance with instructions provided by the physician. The controller may also be configured to provide bolus delivery in response to an instruction from the patient. Such a “bolus” instruction, which can be communicated to the implantable device by way of a remote control, may come in response to a high glucose level measurement in the case of a diabetic patient, an increase in pain level in the case of a pain management patient, or some other symptom that is associated with the particular medical condition that the therapeutic device is intended to treat.
The present inventors have determined that one issue associated with the use of remote controls in medical systems, especially remote controls carried by patients, is inadvertent actuation and the resulting undesirable delivery of medication, stimulation energy, or other therapies. More specifically, the present inventors have determined that the buttons on the remote control in a conventional ambulatory medical device system may be inadvertently pressed while the remote control is being carried in the patient's hand, pocket, purse or the like, or is being stored in a location where it is at risk of being inadvertently contacted. In addition to the user simply unintentionally pressing the button, keys carried within a pocket or purse can, for example, also press a button. In other situations, such as when a remote control is placed on a bed or chair, the user may sit on the remote and cause buttons to be pressed.